Prospective Student-Athletes & Parents
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A prospective student-athlete is any student who: has started classes for the 9th grade; is a student younger than the 9th grade who has received a benefit from Menlo College; is a student in a preparatory school or 2-year college; OR is a student at a 4-year institution who has been issued a release by his/her university.
You become a "recruited" prospective student-athlete at Menlo College if any coach or representative of the College's athletics interests (i.e. "booster") does any of the following:
- Provides you with an official visit to Menlo College
- Contacts you or your family member on more than one occasion
- Meets with you or a family member anywhere off-campus
NCAA Recruiting Rules
The NCAA strictly regulates when and how coaches and athletic department staff members can contact prospective student-athletes. Depending on the circumstances, they may not always be able speak to you or get back to you via phone or email. When contacting a coach or administrator, ALWAYS leave a detailed message that includes your age, grade level and school. This will help the coach/administrator determine whether he/she is allowed to have contact with you.  The NCAA has a helpful Division II Recruiting Guide with important definitions and a DII recruiting timeline to help you understand some of these rules. Please note, recruiting contact rules are different across Divisions I and II and III.Â
See FAQs below for answers to some of the most frequently asked recruiting questions.Â
NCAA Initial Eligibility Standards
Incoming freshmen must meet certain academic standards to be considered eligible at Menlo College.  These NCAA eligibility standards are separate from the admissions standards you must meet to be considered for admission to Menlo College.  Divisions I and II have different eligibility standards so check in early to make sure you are on track to meeting NCAA Initial Eligibility Standards.
Transfer Student Eligibility
Prospective student-athletes who wish to transfer to Menlo College are subject to Division II transfer eligibility rules. The rules are different depending on whether you are transferring from a 2-year junior college or a 4-year institution. If you are a student currently at another 4-year NCAA or NAIA school, OR if you have been enrolled at another 4-year institution in the last year, Menlo College coaches and administrators are not allowed to have any contact with you unless you have a release (also known as permission to contact) from your 4-year institution or have been added to the NCAA Transfer Portal. To obtain a release, you will need to contact the athletics department at your current or former 4-year institution. Once you have your release, please email (mfowler@menlo.edu) it to Mark Fowler, Associate Director of Athletics for Compliance and Student Services. Once we have the release, Menlo College coaches and administrators can have contact with you.
NCAA Eligibility Center
All incoming student-athletes are required to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center and submit certain information. The Eligibility Center evaluates both the academic and amateur status of all incoming student-athletes. Register and complete your assigned tasks as early as possible to avoid delays.
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FAQs
Q: What is an official visit?
A: Any visit to a college campus where the institution pays for part or all of your expenses. You are only allowed to make one official visit per institution during your junior or senior year of high school. Â
Q: Â What is an unofficial visit?
A: An unofficial visit is any visit to a college that is not paid for by the institution. Unlike with official visits, you are allowed to take as many unofficial visits to a school as you like AND you can go on an unofficial visit at any age.
Q: When is the first opportunity a Menlo College coach may communicate with me?
A: Menlo College coaches may contact (face-to-face) a prospective student-athlete and/or a family member June 15 prior to your junior year in high school. Coaches can communicate (phone, email, etc.) at any time. The NCAA Division II Recruiting Guideline will give you a complete breakdown of when and how Menlo College coaches can have contact with you and your parents. Remember recruiting rules are different for Divisions I, II and III.
Q: When can I start calling a Menlo College coach? When can I start emailing them?
A:  Prospective student-athletes and their parents may call/email a Menlo College coach at any time and a coach may communicate to the prospective student-athlete at any time. Please reference the above mentioned Division II Recruiting Guideline for specific information. Remember, if you are a student at another 4-year institution and are attempting to contact a Menlo College coach or administrator, you must have been issued a release from the athletic department.
Additional Resources
NCAA Eligibility Center
NCAA College Bound Student-Athlete
NCAA International Academic Reqirements
NCAA DII Eligibility Quick Reference Guide
NCAA Initial Eligibility
NCAA Transfer Guide | 2-year school | 4-year school
FAQ - International College-Bound Student-Athletes
FAQ - Amateurism Certification Process
FAQ - Home School Students
Division II Recruiting Guideline
Transfer Terms
Want to Transfer?
NIL
